Diminishing Returns
by Mho Mhuirnin
Summary: Norg: Sea breezes, old regrets, and new directions.


Ryoma sat at the water's edge, grumbling to himself inwardly as was his custom. There wasn't any particular focus for his grumbling today; they were actually fairly cheery ones as far as grumbles go. The sea breeze wafting in from Norg's underground grotto was a nice touch as well... Yes, it was almost a perfect day. Perfect except for a young Mithra who'd just walked over and was eyeing him hesitantly. Not _another_ adventurer... Norg was thick with them these days.

"You want something, spit it out. Otherwise, go pester somebody who needs it."

She stared for a moment, then nodded. Approaching, she set a small bundle on the ground next to the sitting ninja and took a step back, remaining silent.

"What are these?" he said disdainfully.

"I'm rrreturning these to you..." she replied.

Ryoma only chuckled. "You didn't take anything from me that I know if. And if you took something from me I DON'T know of, you'd be better off running like hell than handing them back."

The woman shook her head, continuing "They'rrre something I... Shouldn't have anymore. Since you're one of the people who set me on this path, and Ensetsu is... Well..."

She was rewarded with a derisive snort, followed by "Ensetsu? He's a fool. As for path... You'd be meaning Ninja?" At the Mithra's nod of confirmation, Ryoma finally felt a twinge of curiosity. Well, it wouldn't hurt to at least see what she's tossing at my feet anyway, he thought.

Reaching for the cloth-wrapped bundle, he unwrapped it to reveal two katanas. No master's weapons these, but it would take at least a little experience to wield them... Bit dinged too, they've seen use. She's no weekend ninja at least, but why is she passing these off on _me_? Like I've got anything to do with her or this novice's steel.

"They'rrre something I shouldn't have anymore," the Mithra repeated, almost like a sustaining mantra.

Ryoma shook his head. "No? That's a pretty broad statement, whether you should or shouldn't have something. I'll humor you. Why not, then?"

The Mithra's tail fell into a pendulum rhythm as she sought the words. The aged ninja grunted and looked back to the sea, wondering why every half-bit adventurer in Vana'Diel seemed to make special exception to come out here and bother _him_.

"I... Killed someone with them."

Ryoma glanced back at her sharply. "Wait. You came all this way to turn in your katanas because you, a ninja, _killed_ someone? If this is a joke kid, I'm not laughing. I haven't got the time for bad jokes, either."

"Well, if I'm going to be going arrround killing people with them…!" she began indignantly, but was cut off.

"Did they deserve it?"

"What?"

"Did they need killing."

"Prrrobably, but..." she began, only to be cut off again.

"Then what's the problem here! You want to turn in your blades because you're afraid of killing people who are better off dead? Do you even know what those blades _are_, girl? What they represent? Choices. Decisions. They're power to get an idea in your head then _do_ something about it. Without 'em, you can bite, hiss and scratch all you want. Won't accomplish much.

"But with a weapon, well. Now you get choices. If you run into a monster, it's not just run away or get killed anymore. If you run into someone who just really needs killing... Well. Then you can. They're a choice. A decision, a commitment to doing something and taking affairs into your own hands. _That_ is what they are. You've already picked them up. No setting them down now."

"Then what _am_ I supposed to do now?" the woman pleaded.

"Look, if I wanted to make your choices for you, I'd have swiped those katanas first chance I got. Though Altana knows now I'm tempted, you seem to be making some pretty stupid ones." Ryoma growled. "Now put those damn things back on your belt, where they belong."

The Mithra nodded solemnly, kneeling to pick up the katanas, almost reverently, before attaching them to her weapon belt once more. A tiny smirk played upon the ninja master's lips as he continued, "Now get. You've wasted enough of my time already, and I've got business to attend."

"...Thank you," she managed before turning and slowly walking away.

"'Thank you?'" Ryoma muttered, taking a deep breath of the sea breeze. "Dumb kid. She still doesn't get it, does she."


End file.
